Trail Blazer Camp Saws

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Trail Blazer claims its Sawvivor can cut through a five-inch-thick log in about 15 seconds. Putting it to the test while wearing my special lumberjack hat, I was able to do just about that.

The saw, made of anodized aluminum and stainless steel, has a 14-inch blade that is adjusted taut with the twist of a wing nut. When ready, the saw’s design lets you lean down with one hand on the end and push and pull your way through solid pine or oak with little trouble.

It has a foam cushion handle and folds up into a compact 9.5-ounce package that measures 3 × 15 inches. While this is slightly heavy for the ultra-light backpacking crowd, most people will find the Sawvivor to be little burden in the pack.

The company’s Take-Down Buck Saw is the next step up in log-cutting performance. Modeled after a classic wood saw design, the aluminum saw has a tension rod that tightens the blade until it twangs like a guitar string. The big-toothed steel blade can then be put to work cutting through pieces of wood as thick as 15 inches.

For transport, the Take-Down Buck Saw collapses and its parts all fit inside the 19-inch handle. While not quite as light as the Sawvivor, it is a small package that can be easily carried in a pack.

Trail Blazer sells replacement blades for both models. Both also come with a lifetime warranty.

Stephen Regenold is Founder of GearJunkie, which he launched as a nationally-syndicated newspaper column in 2002. As a journalist and writer, Regenold has covered the outdoors industry for two decades, including as a correspondent for the New York Times. A father of five, Regenold and his wife live in Minneapolis.

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